Apple created the ARM-based M-series chips used in its Mac computers.
Apple announced its first M-series processor, the M1, in June 2020 and began shipping M1-powered Macs later that year. The chip marked the start of Apple’s transition away from Intel processors in its Mac product line.
Apple silicon uses ARM-based designs and combines processing, graphics, memory-related functions, and specialized accelerators in a system-on-a-chip architecture. The approach gives Apple control over both hardware and operating-system integration and is designed to improve performance per watt.
The M1 was followed by families including the M2, M3, and M4. This chip strategy is one part of Apple’s broader vertical integration, alongside its operating systems, devices, services, and custom technologies. Investors often consider that integration when valuing Apple’s shares.